Fluffy Days and Nights
by flowacat
Summary: A series of ficlets of random pairings. Requests accepted.
1. Storm

-Yami to Yugi-

=Yugi to Yami=

Yugi Moto had mastered countless games over the years. Unfortunately he had never found the time to master his own fear.

The young man with tri-colored hair closed his eyes tight and wished for the hundredth time that he had bought the noise-cancelling headphones he had planned to buy last week, instead of spending his allowance on more Duel Monsters booster packs.

It was common knowledge that Yugi was generous to a fault – and the spark of interest he felt from Yami through their bond as he passed the display of cards was too much for his gentle heart to resist.

Maybe Grandpa would give him an advance on his allowance if he helped -

 **CRASH**

At the sound of the thunder, Yugi's entire body clenched.

I am too old for this!

From outside his fortress, a deep baritone voice - "Aibou?"

Yugi groaned and considered remaining silent... but he knew Yami's curiosity would be his inevitable downfall.

Carefully extracting himself from the fort of blankets and borrowed chairs from the kitchen, Yugi peeked his face outside the fortress of safety.

The translucent form of his other self stood in the middle of the room, his back to Yugi, arms crossed.

"Where are you aibou?"

Yugi cleared his throat,

"Down here, mou hitori no boku"

Turning to face the fortress, Yami knelt and raised the blanket above Yugi's head to peer inside. As his gaze swept the interior, Yugi felt the emotions of his other self through their bond.

Affection. Confusion. Amusement.

"What are you doing?"

Yugi flushed and pulled his head back under the blankets.

"It's called a pillow fort" He muttered, wrapping his arms around his legs and resting his chin against his knees.

"Fort?" Yami chuckled.

"It just – helps."

Yuugi winced as his voice caught and hoped Yami had not noticed. A pulse of concern felt through their bond proved his hope was in vain.

-What is it that frightens you?- Yugi heard in his mind.

=I don't like thunder= He replied, flushing in embarrassment.

-The noise cannot harm you, aibou- Despite his confidence, Yami seemed a trifle unsure.

=I kn-=

 **CRASH**

Yugi slammed the link shut and remembered his grandfathers words – breath deeply, five in, five out.

Gathering his courage around him like a cloak, Yugi took in a deep breath and counted -

1..2..3..4..5..

Suddenly, the translucent form of his other self materialized in front of him, legs crossed, a look of satisfaction on his face.

"Can I help?"

Yugi felt his lungs burning and belatedly realized he had forgotten to release his breath. Yami continued to watch as Yugi exhaled in coughing gasps, heart pounding in his ears.

"It – it's nothing"

"Nothing."

Only Yami could say a single word with so much meaning. Yugi looked away as his throat began to close, tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. Empathy and caring poured through their link.

"It is alright, aibou."

Yami scooted forward and reached out, plucking Yugi from the ground and placed him on his lap, facing his chest. How he was able to do this in his spirit form was of little concern to either.

Speechless, Yugi felt his face grow hot as tears began to fall – a protest on his lips -

 **CRASH**

Diving into the warmth and safety of the larger boy's arms, Yugi forced all thoughts of embarrassment from his mind.

"I am here"

The deep baritone of Yami's voice and the rumbling of his chest as he said the words were as soothing as a child's lullaby.

 **CRASH**

Yugi trembled as he fought to control the tears, the fear, the overwhelming desire to cling to this source of protection and warmth.

It was a battle he was destined to lose.

"Shhh..."

The gentle, awkward pats on his back pushed Yugi over the edge. A mewling noise was all Yami heard before Yugi wrapped his arms tightly around his other self and pressed his wet face against the coarse fabric of his shirt to muffle his sobs.

"Aibou..."

Yami felt his heart contract painfully and he returned the embrace, resting his chin on the soft, spiky hair of his host.

"We will face this challenge together"

Review for more pure fluff


	2. Shopping

Dedicated to Rasenramen

Standing in front of a clothing display at a local supermarket, a young man shook his head - conflicted.

"Medium... or small?"

Yugi Moto had never been fond of the word. Despite the elder Moto's insistence that he was a "late bloomer", Yugi knew better then to hope he would ever exceed 5'8".

Returning a black sleeveless shirt to the display, Yugi picked up a second shirt and checked the tag - a bright red sticker with the letter "S".

Adding it to a growing pile of clothes in his shopping cart, Yugi felt the circles glaring up at him like many Red Eyes Black Dragons.

Feeling a surge of anger and frustration, he reached in and turned the shirts over to hide the tags.

A shiver of air to his left alerted Yugi to the imminent materialization of his other half.

Careful to avoid looking at him directly - people thought he was weird enough - Yugi sent a mental query.

=Yami?=

The spirit crossed his arms and looked at the pile of clothing in the shopping cart.

-Why does this cloth anger you?-

Yugi blushed as he realized their spiritual bond was wide open. Quickly closing himself off from his partner, Yugi grabbed the bar of the cart and began to walk towards the changing room.

=Why are you are bigger then me?=

Yami raised an eyebrow and looked down his partner.

-I do not know, little one-

Yugi frowned, pushing his cart more aggressively.

=I'm not little!=

The pair turned the corner, Yami following at a leisurely pace, his long legs eating up the ground without difficulty. Yugi took notice - and in doing so, nearly ran over an old woman digging through a bin of clearance socks in the center aisle.

Yami noted that instead of stopping to apologize, Yugi continued to push the cart forward. His partner was acting quite out-of-character.

-Aibou, I did not mean...-

The words trailed off into silence. Yugi sighed and pulled his selection of shirts out of the cart, obtaining a blue plastic card from the changing room clerk. All that was missing was a keening noise and Yami would sound just like a whipped puppy.

=It's okay. I didn't mean to snap at you=

Entering an unoccupied changing room, Yugi did not notice his other half following him until he had stripped off his shirt.

"Y-Yami!"

Yugi sputtered, blushing furiously as the intense red eyes of the taller youth scanned his entire body, including his bare chest.

-You are not small.-

Yami nodded at his own words, and casually handed Yugi a shirt from the pile of "maybe"s.

Yugi turned as he slipped the shirt over his head, eager to be fully clothed again.

-But you are still my little one.-

Popping his head through the top of this shirt, Yugi felt the gentle touch of Yami's lips against his forehead in a chaste kiss.

-Always.-


	3. Movie

Reluctantly, the spirit of the millennium puzzle had decided to give movies a chance.

Now, the moving pictures were undoubtedly his favorite part of the modern era, especially the dark stories - horror as his partner called them.

The latest addition to his small horde of DVDs was relatively recent film, The Babadook.

The story was simple enough. A demon creature and a haunted book of some kind.

Yugi hadn't wanted to watch, his active imagination meant movies often resulted in restless nights.

The spirit eventually got his way.

Yugi had discovered a foolproof plan to avoid nightmares. He waited until Yami retired for the night then read until he could no longer keep his eyes open.

Unfortunately, the plan had been foiled.

Books did not help with his current situation as each time he opened one he was reminded of the creature from the movie, which was summoned by reading a book.

Yugi turned over for the hundredth time, thrashing as the blankets tangled around his ankles. Every time he closed his eyes he saw the creature from the movie.

Checking the clock and seeing that it was now 3 a.m., Yugi admitted defeat and reached for the light switch.

-Aibou-

Yugi started - he was sure the spirit had retired for the night.

-Why are you still awake?-

Yugi could hear the mild censure in the question and colored slightly.

Yami materialized beside the bed wearing a set of dark blue pajamas, the match to his own. Yugi had to admit they looked very good on him.

=Sorry if I woke you up=

Yugi felt a twinge of conscience. He was well aware that strong emotions roused his partner from slumber. A small part of him admitted that he had used this fact because he did not want to be alone.

-The movie.-

Yami looked embarrassed. It was clear he now realized why Yugi disliked the genre.

Nodding, Yugi pulled the blankets to his chin hoping that if he looked pathetic enough perhaps his partner would stay.

Yami closed his eyes and pondered. He had little experience comforting others. Unbidden, a memory arose from the darkness of his mind.

He recalled softness enfolding him, a small child still. Rhythmic motions from hands on his back calmed his racing heart. The ghost of a woman ... perhaps his mother. Whispering quiet words of reassurance.

Taking the memory as a sign - the few memories he had managed to recover were precious to him - the spirit lifted the blanket from the bed and climbed in to lay beside his partner.

Seeing but hardly daring to believe, Yugi watched with wide eyes.

-Come here-

Yami reached over and tugged Yugi's arm in a

clear invitation.

Yugi moved forward cautiously his expression as guarded as a stray cat.

Wrapping his arms around the smaller boy, Yami rubbed circles into his back as from his memory.

Yugi felt a shiver at the contact but soon relaxed and leaned in closer

Within moments the exhausted boy was snoring lightly, his hands fisted in the fabric of yamis pajama top.

Releasing a deep sigh of contentment, Yami nestled his head above his partners and smiled as he felt soft breath sway his bangs.

Please review! Reviewing is the only thing that keeps me writing.


	4. Nightmare

**PAIN**

 **TERROR**

 **AGONY!**

The powerful emotions pulsed through Yami's soul room, sparking red against the walls in their intensity. It was fascinating, and in any other situation the spirit might have taken time to analyze the phenomenon.

Reaching out with a spectral hand, the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle reached and PULLED, forcing his partner's consciousness to return to its soul room.

It was not something he enjoyed doing, but enough was enough.

xxx

Yugi woke with the memory of a scream on his lips, his entire body spasming. It took a few minutes for him to realize he was not in his bedroom - but his soul room. Was this still a dream?

The creak of a door, and his head snapped sideways. The tall confident form of his other half came into view and Yugi sighed in relief.

"Aibou. Allow me to help you."

Yami crossed his arms, stopping a few feet from the bed.

"How?"

Yugi wiped sweat from his brow and shifted the heavy blankets off his legs.

"While you are here your body will rest without interruption."

Yugi's mind raced with the implications of that statement.

"I don't... need to sleep?"

Yami shook his head.

"You will awake fully rested. It is not a power I use lightly."

The young man decided to accept what was clearly a gift and set aside his rampant curiosity. Many nights of restless sleep had worn his nerves thin.

"Okay. What now?"

Yugi made to rise from the bed but was interrupted as Yami raised a hand.

"Now, you tell me of these nightmares."

It was said in a tone that afforded no argument. Yugi grimaced and sat back down. Of course, there was a catch.

The stern but patient stare did not bode well for his wish for a peaceful night. Slumping his shoulders, Yugi bowed to the pressure.

"It's always the same. I am walking in darkness, when suddenly - the puzzle - it falls apart, breaks on the ground. Our link - I feel it ripped away. The pain-"

Yugi paused to catch his breath, his heart was pounding furiously as the memory of the pain echoed across his skin. He had grown to depend on the link - even the moments of darkness when Yami closed himself off frightened Yugi.

The spirit grasped the younger boy's shoulders firmly. Looking up into his eyes, Yugi saw pain and understanding.

"Yugi, you are stronger than you realize. I will not leave you by choice, but you must believe you are strong enough to exist without me."

Yugi's eyes misted over as the spirit said his name. He shook his head mulishly.

"Mou hitori no boku. I can't - I'm not -"

The words came haltingly as Yugi sniffed back tears, cursing himself for his weakness once again. Why was he always crying in front of Yami!?

"You CAN. You ARE."

Yami's hands tightened and he drew closer, allowing his partner to bow his head.

"Believe me, if cannot believe yourself."

=I hate how weak I am.= Yugi furiously wiped the tears from his face.

-Asking for help does not make you weak.-

The quiet thought said through their mind link made Yugi realize he had said the last through their link.

Trembling, Yugi reached out and wrapped his arms around the spirits hips.

"Do not grieve for what has not yet come to pass"

"...Thank you"


	5. Leather

A/N: WARNING – this one earns a T rating. Unlike some authors, I greatly enjoy writing smut, hah!

* * *

Supple and soft, sliding with sensous delight across the skin.

Yugi had always loved leather. Having been small his entire life, it was one of the few things that helped him feel more confident. His friends sometimes looked askance at his wardrobe choices, but Yugi had learned to shrug it off.

The young man smoothed a hand over the dark fabric covering his thigh. It had not been easy to find them in his size, but it was worth the expense.

From the back of the room – a low chuckle.

Yugi spun around and came face to face with Yami, lounging on the bed in his spectral form.

"We are more alike then you realize" The spirit said, gesturing to his own outfit. A matching pair of leather pants were clasped around his long legs. Absently, Yugi wondered how he looked from behind – but quickly shook his head and banished the thought.

"This look suits you, aibou"

Yami ran his eyes along Yugi's thin frame. The leather clung to his curves, leaving little to the imagination. Blinking, he shook his head to banish his less-than-innocent thoughts.

The spirit rose from his position and turned away from Yugi – inadvertantly granting Yugi's previous unspoken desire.

While the shorter of the two struggled to look away, the taller opened the closet, rifling through the clothes stored there. He pulled out a studded leather belt and matching collar.

"Try these."

Placing them on the bed, Yami glanced at his partner with confidence.

Fighting back a blush, Yugi approached the bed. Yami had excellent taste, there was no reason to contest his choices.

A hand shot out as he reached for the belt, gripping his wrist lightly. Light purple met dark magenta and held.

"Allow me"

Yugi swallowed nervously but nodded.

The spirit grinned wickedly and picked up the belt. With grace Yugi envied, he slid the strip of leather through the loops around his waist.

A hiss of pleasure as a hand trailed across his bare skin. A glint of mischeif in red eyes, gentle caresses when they were least expected.

Yami had grown increasingly... clingy as time had passed. Yugi had to admit he wasn't complaining. He had nurtured a secret crush on the spirit for months, but was too shy to make the first move.

Closing the buckle on the belt, Yami leaned back and admired his work.

"Delicious."

He regretted the words the moment they left his mouth.

"I – what I meant -"

The spirit struggled to come up with some reasonable explanation, grasping for words. He didn't struggle for long.

Yugi leaned forward and pressed his index finger to Yami's lips.

"It's okay."

He moved the finger to Yami's chin, tipping his partner's mouth forward to meet his own. The kiss was feather-light, cloyingly sweet but throughly unsatisfying.

With a growl, Yami surged forward and pressed his mouth firmly against Yugi's, threading his hands through impossibly soft hair.

Greedily swallowing his partners moans of pleasure, Yami continued to nip and suck until Yugi collaped bonelessly on top of him.

He couldn't resist the cocky, self satisfied grin that filled his face. Yugi let out a strangled laugh.

"You were right, Yami. Delicious"

* * *

A/N: Scandalous! As always, reviews help fuel the writing machine!


	6. Ice Cream

A/N: WARNING - this one also earns its T rating.

* * *

Nothing soothed a broken heart quite like ice cream.

Yugi stuffed his mouth full of rocky road and tried not to think about his disastrous night.

It had started great – a date with a pretty girl from ECON 101, who had accepted the whispered invitation to dinner with a blush and a giggle. His confidence high, Yugi had shown up at the restaurant 15 minutes early with a bouquet of roses.

Two hours later he had admitted defeat and slunk home in a foul mood. Stood up again.

=Ice cream=

From the connection, a mix of excitement/anticipation. Yami loved ice cream.

Always considerate, Yugi had prepared a second bowl, heaped with chocolate sprinkles. It was not long before he felt an impatient prodding.

"Okay, okay!"

Yugi chuckled and pulled back, allowing the spirit to take control. Wanting to see Yami's reaction, Yugi materialized in his spectral form. The spirit's usual confident demeanour was nowhere to be seen; his eyes closed in ecstasy, a huge smile lighting up his face.

"What – mph – flavor?"

Yugi laughed as his partner attempted to talk with a mouth full of dessert.

=Rocky Road=

-Even better than the last. Thank you, aibou-

The words perked him up. Yami always knew how to turn a terrible day around.

-Bad night? -

He nodded.

=She didn't show=

He couldn't hide the bitterness in his thoughts. While Yugi was still short, he was old enough to have _needs_.

-If you would allow it, I could relieve your frustration-

The words, spoken so casually, froze Yugi in place. Had he just heard what he thought he heard? Was Yami propositioning him?

=I – well - Okay?=

Yami was gorgeous, and their connection was deeper than most could understand. If the spirit wanted to make their relationship physical... His pants tightened at the thought.

Watching Yami savor the frozen treat, Yugi had to reign in his desire. Milky white drops of melted ice cream dripped down the spirits chin, the glint of mischief in his eyes a not-so-subtle hint.

Leaning forward, Yugi ran his tongue along the curve of his partner's face, removing all remnants of ice cream. With a growl, Yami surged forward and caught their lips in a tangle.

After a passionate few minutes, they broke apart to catch their breath, both flushed with pleasure.

Holding his head in his hands, Yugi calmed his racing heart.

-Aibou-

He looked up and had to stifle a moan at what he saw.

Yami was staring at him with a wicked look in his eye, shirtless with a trail of dripped ice cream across his chest. It was an invitation Yugi could not ignore.


	7. Memory

A/N: A change of pace, RxB

I finally have some pairing requests! I will work on them soon. FF is messing up my formatting, if it shows weird here Ill fix it soon.

~Bakura to Ryou~

~~Ryou to Bakura~~

* * *

"Hi, mom"

The altar was a simple one, a shelf filled with stubs of candles, incense holder and a framed photograph of a striking white-haired woman.

"I miss you"

A single daffodil joined the altar.

"Bakura and I made up"

The eyes of the woman seemed to stare into the soul of those who dared to trespass against her.

"He's not… he did those things because of Zorc. He's not really all that bad"

A desperate edge to the words. Tears gathered, but he refused to let them fall, choosing to view the world through the foggy haze of sorrow.

"I really tried, mom. I tried to move on, to forget him. I could not. I felt the lack of him like a gaping wound in my heart."

Eyes that burned as he stubbornly refused to blink and release the pain.

"I wish you could have met him"

A hiss of flame from a lighter and a white candle sputtered into life.

~She'd be proud of you~

Dark words slipping through his defenses, causing tears to finally overflow and fall to his knees.

~I'm proud of you too~

A painful tug on his heart.

~~Thank you~~

From the connection, a thrum of reassurance. He wrapped the feeling around himself, savoring every shared moment.

~~I missed you~~

A change to the sending from his yami, becoming tinged with embarrassment.

~Of course you did~

Smug and self-satisfied as always, but with an edge of concern.

~There were times when I may have missed you too~

It was as close to the truth as would ever be said. Those memories had been locked away, too painful to revisit.

~~I know~~

A sending of love so pure and innocent it soothed the temper of the wild beast.

~C'mere you~

In an uncharacteristic display of affection, Bakura materialized beside his light and wrapped his arms around the smaller boy, burrowing his nose in the soft white hair.

"'Kura?"

A gentle question from a shocked but giddy Ryou, crushed against the chest of his partner.

A coarse growl from the darker of the two.

"Just let me have this moment"


	8. Monarch

Pairing: YxA at the request of silvergolddragon

[[Yami to Atem]]

[Atem to Yami]

* * *

The Millennium Puzzle was a mystery few had managed to unravel, full of secrets both glorious and terrible.

Deep within the labyrinth of the puzzle, a thick door inscribed with hieroglyphics glowed with an unnatural golden light. Small cracks formed a network of channels across the surface of the door. With a final pulse of light – the door collapsed, releasing a furious Pharaoh from his imprisonment.

"Yami, what's wrong?"

Yugi was concerned. One moment Yami was laughing at the movie they had picked, the next the blood had drained from his face and he was white as a ghost.

"Aibou, I apologize, but I must go."

Yami disappeared, and at the same time, Yugi felt the connection between them slam close. Curious, but respectful of the other's privacy, Yugi returned to the movie.

* * *

The spirit of the millennium puzzle – now one of two spirits of the millennium puzzle – strengthened his defenses and prayed the magic would keep his other self from escaping the labyrinth.

[You cannot chain me]

Yami grimaced and pushed more of his energy into the protections.

A thin cord of awareness streamed into his mind, a new connection formed between him and the Pharaoh. Try as he might, Yami could not find it in himself to break the link.

[Release me!]

From the back of his mind, a gentle query from the more established connection to Yugi.

Blanching, Yami saw a thin line of power stretching out from the puzzle, seeking out the third party in this triad of souls.

Unable to move from his position as the prison guard, Yami could only watch, horrified, as a bond was formed between Yugi and Atem.

[What is this? Such a bright light.]

A purr of pleasure in his mind as Atem felt for the connection. Frantic, Yami dropped the barriers and pushed himself between his two other selves.

[[You cannot have him]]

Mocking laughter.

[I will have what I want]

Yugi felt distinctly like a favorite toy caught between two dogs fighting for dominance.

On one side, Yami was smothering his mental awareness – the connection between them was so open that Yami's thoughts flowed freely into his mind.

On the other side, a foreign presence he could not recognize. To his astonishment, a tether of awareness had attached itself to his mind. The other end of this awareness made his heart beat faster in fear. It – he – was ancient, regal and powerful.

[[ENOUGH!]]

The words had such a finality even Atem could not object.

[I see. The little prince thinks himself a king.]

A growl of warning.

[[You will return to the puzzle, Atem. You are no longer needed.]]

Yami could feel a smug confidence coming across the bond. A second later, a form materialized in front of him. Yami's mouth suddenly went dry. Wide shoulders, tanned skin, and eyes dark with kohl. A god made flesh.

The Pharaoh smirked - and crushed his mouth to Yami's.

Where before there had been anger, now a fierce passion took its place. Digging his nails into Atem's broad shoulders, Yami growled deep in his throat, fighting for control of the kiss.

Thin streams of blood ran down Atem's chin as kisses turned into nips, the edge of pain increasing the pleasure for both.

Finally regaining control of his senses, Yami pushed the Pharaoh away. The push was rather weaker then he had intended, but it succeeded in the intended result.

Atem's eyes flashed possessively.

"You will do quite nicely, I like my pet with claws"

* * *

Outside the puzzle, Yugi felt only the echo of the actions that were occurring between his partners, but it was strong enough to send waves of heat through his body.

"Not fair. When's my turn?"


	9. Mess

Pairing: YxAxY

Each of these chapters is a separate one-shot, although sometimes if one is popular enough I turn it into its own story.

* * *

Yugi Moto stared in horrified fascination at the disaster zone that had formerly been his kitchen. The sink was piled high with what seemed to be every plate, bowl and cooking utensil he owned.

A white substance covered the floor, the counters, even the ceiling - how they managed **that** Yugi didn't even want to consider.

Dipping a finger in the substance and raising it to his lips, Yugi rolled his eyes. Cake batter.

"I can explain,"

For his part in this madness, Yami at least looked chagrined. Atem, on the other hand, stared at Yugi with crossed arms, daring the light to chastise him.

"Prince said this was your favorite," Atem shrugged.

"Don't call me that!"

Yami shook the spatula held in his hand at the Pharaoh, sending splatters of cake batter flying to land on Yugi's face.

"Aibou! I - I apologize!"

The look of terror on Yami's face set Yugi into fits of laughter.

Atem stepped forward for a closer look.

"You have made a mess of our light, prince"

He smiled and as always it sent Yugi's heart racing. In the months since a mysterious magic had given Yami and Atem their own bodies, they had struggled to adjust to the separation. At night they all slept together, curled up like a pile of puppies. While Yugi liked to complain that it was hot and uncomfortable, he secretly loved cuddling against the other two parts of his heart and soul.

Reaching out to clasp Yugi's chin in his hand, Atem leaned forward and licked batter from his cheek. Yugi felt his mouth go dry.

"Atem!"

Yami's voice was chastising, but his eyes sparkled with humor. Joining the duo, he licked a white spot from his lights' other cheek.

"Missed one"

Yugi giggled and wrapped his arms around the two, pulling them in for a group hug.

"Does this mean there will be no punishment?"

Yugi laughed as Atem tried to weasel his way out of helping clean up, the Pharaoh retained some of his old habits still.

Yami reached over and punched Atem lightly on the shoulder, giving him a knowing look. Atem widened his eyes and nodded, remembering the reason for the mess.

Pulling themselves away, the two spirits held hands and faced a very confused Yugi.

Perfectly in sync, they began to sing -

 ** _Happy birthday to you_**

 ** _Happy birthday to you,_**

 ** _Happy birthday dear Yugi_**

 ** _Happy birthday to you_**

As the last notes faded, they stepped forward and kissed Yugi on each cheek.

"We love you"

* * *

A/N: I wrote a lemon to go with this one - I will be posting it tomorrow so stay tuned!


	10. King

Pairing: YxBxTKB

* * *

Bakura knew something was wrong. He felt it like an itch in the back of his mind, an itch he couldn't quite scratch. Even as he reminded himself that the Millennium Ring – and Zorc – were long gone, his instincts screamed **danger**.

Sparing a moment to check on Ryou – who was deep asleep on the couch, thank goodness for small mercies - Bakura retreated to the room of his soul, determined to find what was causing his instincts to react. From experience, Bakura knew his traitorous mind tended to keep secrets, and the only way to solve the mystery was to seek it out himself.

* * *

Whatever the danger was – there were no answers here. Bakura stalked the corridors of his mind in a black temper. The sense of impending doom continued to settle around him, causing the yami to pace restlessly.

Feeling a flicker of awareness, Bakura realized Ryou was awakening; more time had passed then he had anticipated. Suppressing his frustration, Bakura abandoned his quest and returned to the corridor that divided his soul room from Ryou's.

Soul rooms. Plural. If the source was not in his room – it must be…

Turning, Bakura felt his stomach drop as he saw the door to Ryou's room. He was a fool. Whatever this danger was, it knew Bakura, and had chosen to hide in the last place he would look – in the room of his light.

As if sensing his thoughts, the door creaked open. Bakura hesitated for a moment but then moved to enter the room - he would apologize to Ryou later for the trespass into the light's mind.

A chill ran through Bakura's heart as the door opened fully. Sitting on the floor, shamelessly making himself at home in Ryou's mind, was the King of Thieves.

"You," Bakura growled.

"Me," Akefia replied with a smile, waving his fingers mockingly.

Bakura growled and summoned his energy. This ended now – there was no need for Ryou to discover his mind held an ancient hitchhiker. While his light was not as innocent as the Pharoah's, Ryou was still too kind-hearted to allow Bakura to dispose of something that was, in effect, a conscious being – even one as useless as Akefia.

* * *

"Bakura?" Ryou poked his partner and frowned when there was no response. Bakura's mind had that far away feeling that signaled he was casting shadow magic.

Feeling the pressure behind his eyes increase, Ryou whimpered in pain. Selfishly, he tugged on the connection to Bakura's mind slightly. Perhaps a touch of pain would return Bakura to the present.

The task had the intended effect as a body materialized behind him, pulling Ryou against a hard chest. Tucked securely in place, Ryou hummed with pleasure as nimble fingers threaded through his hair and massaged his scalp.

"Hello to you, too"

Ryou froze. The voice was not Bakura's. Trembling with fear, he turned in the arms that held him – and looked into the eyes of a ghost. The King of Thieves looked like he had fallen right out of Arabian Nights, deeply tanned with numerous scars marring his features.

"Y-you-!"

A toothy smile formed across Akefia's face, and he leaned in kiss Ryou's nose.

"I am back"

* * *

A/n: Fond of this pairing? Let me know!


	11. Goodbye

Pairing: YxY

* * *

Yugi stood victorious before the ceremonial altar and resisted the urge to run into the arms of his partner. The duel was over, Yugi had won. Now Yami would leave, and Yugi would be alone once again.

"No…" The young duelist whispered, falling to his knees and scattering the cards of his deck across the cold stone floor.

Footsteps approached as Yami continued to play his part in the ceremony - congratulating the winner. Yugi shook his head and refused to raise his head. A mixture of confusion and concern whispered into his mind as the footsteps stopped in front of him.

"Aibou, a winner should not be on his knees"

Something in the voice – a gentle plea to look up, to say good-bye.

"NO!" Yugi shouted, "You can't leave!"

The words were garbled by tears, but he knew Yami understood. Yugi rubbed his eyes and rose to his feet, finally meeting eyes with his partner. The emotion he saw there broke his heart anew – pain so deep it had no name and fear for what would come next.

Yami opened his mouth to speak but stopped as Yugi raised his hand.

"I'm not ready. Damn the duel. Don't leave me"

Yugi dropped his head, covering his face with his hands, his shoulders rising and falling as sobs racked his body.

"Yugi… I must leave. You won the duel."

Yami's voice was so full of pain he did not know how he could go on.

From the dais, Isis Ishtar felt her heart flutter and was moved to action.

Clearing her throat, the Egyptian woman stepped forward,

"There is another way."

Two heads shot up to face her, hope shining in both pairs of eyes.

"Pharoah. Only part of you must depart. If you allow the spirit of your past self to separate from you, the persona known as Yami might be allowed to remain."

Yami turned to face Isis with renewed confidence.

"You will tell me."

With a bow of servility, Isis gestured to the Millennium Tablet.

"The Millennium Items recognize you as their master. Ask them to draw forth the spirit of the Pharaoh."

Yami nodded and breathed deeply, moving to face the tablet.

Closing his eyes, he concentrated on connecting with the items.

 _My work here is not done. I cannot leave. Allow me to remain._

At once it was clear that something would happen. The items began to glow with a golden light, and Yami felt a stirring in his soul, a trickle of fondness and acknowledgment.

 **WE OBEY**

The metallic voice of the Millenium Items triggered pain, unlike anything he had ever felt. His flesh burned as if being torn from his bones. A piercing scream ripped from his mouth that bounced off the walls of the cave and caused the others to shrink backward.

An instant later the tearing ceased and Yami doubled over, panting.

Gasps and murmurs from the crowd.

A few feet from Yami, a figure in regal garb rose to his feet slowly, revealing the tri-colored hair and tanned skin that marked him as Atem.

Grasping his chest, Yami felt the loss of the Pharoah dearly and had a moment of regret – before Atem turned to face him, his eyes full of wisdom and knowledge. Atem shook his head and raised his gaze. Yami turned and saw Yugi, clearly torn between standing where he was and running to his partner.

Understanding filled Yami's eyes and he stood with shaking legs.

Atem smiled a gentle smile and approached the doors. Moments later, it was over.


	12. Werewolf

_Werewolf_

Yami plucked the word from the conversation Yugi was having and mulled it over. The word held some meaning for him, but the awareness slipped from his grasp.

-Yugi, what is this 'werewolf'?-

Yami sent the thought to his light, and chuckled as Yugi seemed to bubble with excitement.

=Oh, Yami! It's a game, it's been around for a long time. You get a group of people and the moderator picks some to be werewolves - everyone else is a villager. Well - I mean, sometimes you add more roles but not for newbies - and of course, the villagers don't know who the wolves are, only I do. Anyway, everyone sits in a circle and the moderator - that's me, I forgot to say that - tells everyone to close their eyes. Ok, next I say 'Werewolves open your eyes' and the wolves see each other. At night they will choose someone to eat. The wolves close their eyes and I say 'everyone opens your eyes', and the whole group picks someone to hang. It just repeats until either all the wolves are killed or there are the same number of villagers as wolves. It's really fun. =

Yami felt like reeling from the mass of information Yugi had thrown at him in his excitement. He unraveled the words and got a sense that he had played this game before, some time long ago, although the game he remembered had a different name.

-May I join?-

The powerful surge of happiness that came from Yugi showed his acceptance more so then the words that followed,

=YES!=

* * *

Playing the game were Yugi (moderator), Yami, Bakura, Ryou, Malik, Marik, Seto, and Joey. Yugi decided to make the game a bit more interesting since the villagers had won the last 4 rounds. The wolves needed some ammo - clearly, his friends knew each other too well. Yugi passed out the cards and returned to his seat while the players discovered the role they had been assigned from the card.

"Everyone, close your eyes. Werewolves, open your eyes,"

Yami opened his eyes. Naturally, Yugi had selected him as a werewolf. Looking around he saw Bakura looking at him with a bored expression. Two wolves in this game. Yami was somewhat surprised Yugi had not selected Seto as the second wolf, although perhaps it was just that Seto was clearly only playing to make Joey happy.

"Wolves close your eyes. Everyone, open your eyes. Villagers, choose someone to hang,"

Yugi vibrated with excitement and tried not to give anything away. This was Yami's first game and he wanted so badly for Yami to have fun.

The group looked at each other silently, waiting for someone to make the first accusation. Joey was the one to move - pointing at Malik.

"Awe, come on guys!" Malik whined, crossing his arms and pouting. Marik began to laugh and pointed at his light.

The others, except Seto, followed suit and pointed at Malik. Five heads turned to Seto expectantly. "Fine, Malik, whatever. Is this over yet?" Seto followed the will of the group and cast his vote at Malik.

"Malik has been hanged. You are now dead Malik. You can watch the game but are not allowed to talk or give anything away," Yugi shook his finger at Malik, knowing the Egyptian would be tempted to give some hint as to who the wolves were.

"Remember we are playing with the 'no-reveal' rules, so I will not say what role Malik was. Everyone, close your eyes. Wolves, open your eyes and choose someone to eat," Yugi bounced his legs up and down and waited impatiently for the two to make their choice.

Immediately, Yami pointed at Seto. Once he was dead, Seto could no longer talk, which would make everyone happy.

Bakura shrugged and pointed as well, sealing the choice.

Yugi nodded as a sign for the wolves to close their eyes.

"Everyone, open your eyes. Seto has been eaten" Yugi intoned.

The group opened their eyes, and Seto crossed his arms. He looked like he was about to speak but Yugi silenced him with a motion.

"Remember Seto, you are dead now, you can't talk,"

Joey wiggled his eyebrows at Seto and said, "Can we keep following these rules later?"

Seto merely scowled and looked away.

"Villagers, choose someone to hang," Yugi gestured with his hands and the discussion began.

"Ryou," Joey said immediately, "I could hear him moving - he's a wolf for sure,"

Bakura visibly bristled, "Now, listen curr - Ryou is not a werewolf. How dare you accuse my light?!"

The group was silent for a moment then everyone but Bakura burst into laughter. Once the laughs had settled down, all remaining villagers pointed to Bakura, who sputtered at the indignity.

Yugi wiped tears of mirth from his eyes and nodded, "Bakura has been hanged. Everyone close your eyes - and wolves, open your eyes"

Yami opened his eyes and considered his options. Joey seemed to be the person to accuse the fastest, so he seemed like a good candidate. Yami pointed at Joey and Yugi nodded his confirmation.

"Everyone, open your eyes. Joey has been eaten. Villagers, choose someone to hang," Yugi snickered as Joey's face reddened. He could almost see the steam coming out of his eyes. Seto covered his smile with a hand and winked at his partner, who settled down a bit at the attention.

And then there were three. Marik, Yami and Ryou looked at each other in silence. Ryou tentatively raised his hand and pointed at Marik, who growled at the light and began to shriek with hysterical laughter when Ryou recoiled. Bakura lunged forward but Yugi restrained him, seeing Marik was only teasing.

Yami pointed at Marik and looked to Yugi to end the game, light dancing in his eyes.

"Marik has been hanged - and with that, the werewolves win!" Yugi lept to his feet and jumped up and down, excited that Yami had won in his very first game.

Yami grinned and grabbed his light around the waist, twirling him in a circle before bringing him in to kiss his nose chastely.

=What did you think?=

-I have played this before. There was one small difference in the game I played-

=Oh? What's that?=

-To the victor, went the spoils-

Yugi squealed as Yami began to tickle him relentlessly.

* * *

A/N: This will be the last one of these for awhile~


End file.
